BV 
260 
.M5 
1895 


16.1  .i.0 

LIBRARY  OF  THE  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 

PRINCETON,  N.  J. 

Presented  by 

HerDtr-)-  Adam  a  Kobons. 


BV    260    .M5    1895 
Miller,    J.    R.    1840-1912 
For   a   busy  day 


FOR   A   BUSY   DAY: 


A  MORNING  PRAYER  FOR  A  BUSY 
OR  TROUBLED  WEEK-DAY. 


w 


OCT  1    1920 


BY 


/ 


J.  R.   MILLER,   D.D., 

AUTHOR   OF   "week-day   RELIGION,"    "PRACTICAL   RELIGION," 

"  life's  byways  and  waysides,"  etc.,  etc. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

PRESBYTERIAN   BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION 
AND  SABBATH-SCHOOL  WORK. 

1895. 


Copyright,  1895, 

BY  THE 

Trustees  of  the  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication 
AND  Sabbath-School  Work. 


'T^HE  sweetest  flower  needs  heaven's  sunshine 
and  dew  to  perfect  its  beauty  and  sustain 
its  life.  So  does  the  holiest  human  life  need 
God.  A  picture  without  sky  in  it  is  incomplete. 
A  day  on  earth  without  a  glimpse  of  heaven  to 
brighten  it  dies  without  a  blessing.  We  rob 
our  own  nature  and  imjjoverish  our  life  if  we 
do  not  avail  ourselves  of  the  help  and  renewal 
which  we  may  get  through  prayer.  Prayer 
lifts  us  into  the  very  presence  of  God.  It 
brings  down  upon  us  the  power  of  Christ, 
according  to  the  measure  of  our  need  and  the 
measure  of  our  faith.  He  who  lives  without 
prayer  lives  without  God.  He  who  lives  a  life 
of  prayer  walks  with  God  by  day  and  by  night. 
The  more  wo  have  to  do,  and  the  more  care 
we  have,  the  more  do  we  need  to  begin  our 
days  with  prayer. 


'Cause  me  to  hear  thy  lovingkindness  in  the  morning; 
For  in  thee  do  I  trust : 

Cause  me  to  know  the  way  wherein  I  should  walk  ; 
For  I  lift  up  my  soul  unto  thee. 
Deliver  me,  O  Lord,  from  mine  enemies : 
I  flee  unto  thee  to  hide  me. 

Teach  me  to  do  thy  will ;    for  thou  art  my  God  : 
Thy  spirit  is  good ;  lead  me  in  the  land  of  uprightness. 
Quicken  me,  O  Lord,  for  thy  name's  sake : 
In  thy  righteousness  bring  my  soul  out  of  trouble." 

Psalm  cxliii:   8-1 L 


"  When  first  the  eyes  unveil,  give  thy  soul  leave 
To  do  the  like;    our  bodies  but  forerun 
The  spirit's  duty.     True  hearts  spread  and  heave 

Unto  their  God,  as  flowers  do  to  the  sun. 
Give  him  thy  first  thought  then ;    so  shalt  thou  keep 
Him  company  all  day,  and  in  him  sleep." 

Henry  Vaughan. 


FOR   A    BUSY   DAY. 


XTO  day  starts  well  without  its  morning  prayer. 
We  need  to  get  the  touch  of  Christ's  hand 
upon  us  to  give  us  calmness  and  strength  as  we 
go  forth.  There  is  a  story  of  a  Christian  woman 
whose  life  was  full  of  tasks  and  cares.  One 
morning  she  had  been  unusually  hurried  in 
getting  her  household  ready  for  the  day,  and 
she  had  not  kept  quiet  and  sweet  through  it 
all.  She  had  lost  patience  and  had  become 
fretted  and  vexed.  Her  heart  had  been  in  a 
fever  of  disquiet  all  the  morning. 

When  the  children  were  off  for  school  and  the 
pressing  tasks  were  finished,  the  tired  woman 
went  to  her  own  room.  She  was  discouraged. 
The  day  had  begun  most  unsatisfactorily.  She 
took  up  her  Bible  and  read  the  story  of  the 
heaHng  of  the  sick  woman  :  "  He  touched  her 
hand,  and  the  fever  left  her ;  and  she  arose,  and 
ministered  unto  them." 
5 


For  a  Busy  Day. 

"  If  I  could  have  had  that  cooling,  healing 
touch  on  my  hand,"  she  said,  "  before  I  began 
my  morning's  work,  the  fever  would  have  left 
me,  too,  and  then  I  could  have  ministered 
sweetl}'-  to  my  household."  She  had  learned 
that  the  firaJ^touch  in  the  morning  should  be 
Christ's.  We  need  his  healing  before  we  are 
ready  for  any  true  serving. 

This  is  especiallj^  true  of  our  week-days.  We 
can  get  along  better  on  Sunday.  The  air  is 
clearer  and  heaven  seems  nearer.  We  rest 
from  the  tasks  and  toils  which  ofttimes  so  fill 
and  overfill  our  hands  on  the  other  days.  We 
do  not  have  to  go  out  into  the  noisy  world  to 
endure  its  frictions  and  strifes,  and  take  part 
in  its  rivalries  and  competitions.  We  can  stay 
at  home,  in  love's  quiet  shelter,  on  the  Sabbath, 
and  go  to  God's  house,  which  is  a  sanctuary 
for  our  souls,  a  quiet  and  still  resting-place. 
It  is  not  so  hard  for  most  of  us  to  live  sweetly 
and  victoriously  on  Sunday. 

But  the  week-days  try  us.  Many  of  us  have 
to  rise  early  and  hurry  away  to  work  which 
is  ofttimes  hard  and  which  sometimes  irks  us. 
Perhaps  we  are  thrown  among  people  who  are 
not    kindly   and    congenial,    who   sorely    try   us 


For  a  Busy  Day. 

and  sometimes  fret  lis  by  their  spirit  that  is 
unrefined,  their  talk  that  is  distasteful,  and 
their  conduct  that  is  unseemly.  Perhaps  the 
days  bring  their  temptations,  requiring  us  to 
be  continually  under  sore  restraint,  lest  we 
yield  and  say  words  we  ought  not  to  say.  It 
may  be  that  the  grinding  pressure  of  the  day 
is  too  great  for  our  strength,  that  the  burdens 
are  too  heavy,  the  tasks  too  hard,  the  hours  too 
long.  Some  of  us  must  work  under  masters 
who  are  not  always  gentle  and  thoughtful, 
who  exact  more  than  is  just,  and  who  are 
lacking  in  sympathy  and  human  feeling.  Some 
of  us  have  to  contend  all  the  day  with  dis- 
couraging conditions  in  business,  meeting  losses 
and  sustaining  reverses. 

It  is  our  week-days  that  test  us.  Many  of 
us  find  it  much  harder  to  keep  sweet  and 
patient  and  at  peace  then  than  on  the  quiet 
Sabbaths.  Then  we  are  within  the  gates  of 
the  refuge,  with  the  dangers  and  troubles  shut 
out ;  on  the  week-days  we  are  out  in  the  open, 
unsheltered  field,  where  storms  beat  and  suns 
smite  and  perils  sweep  unhindered.  The  Sab- 
baths are  oases,  with  their  wells  of  water  and 
their  palm-trees ;  the  week-days  are  desert,  with 
7 


For  a  Busy  Day. 

waterless  sands,  shadcless  stretches,  and  hot 
simooms. 

In  an  old  psalm  there  is  a  prayer  that  is 
most  fitting  for  the  morning  of  a  busy  week- 
day.  It  is  not  new ;  but  human  hearts  change 
not,  human  needs  are  the  same  in  all  centu- 
ries, and  therefore  this  prayer  which  no  doubt 
brought  blessing  to  a  struggling  life,  when 
first  offered  long  ago,  may  bring  blessing  into 
struggling  lives  any  of  these  modern  days.  The 
prayer  runs  thus : 

"Cause  me  to  he:ir  thy  lovingkindness  in  the  morning; 
For  in  thee  do  I  trust: 

Cause  me  to  know  the  way  wherein  I  should  walk  ; 
For  I  lift  up  my  soul  unto  thee. 
Deliver  me,  O  Lord,  from  mine  enemies: 
I  flee  unto  thee  to  hide  me. 

Teach  me  to  do  thy  will ;    for  thou  art  my  God : 
Thy  spirit  is  good ;  lead  me  in  the  land  of  uprightness. 
Quicken  me,  O  Lord,  for  thy  name's  sake : 
In  thy  righteousness  bring  my  soul  out  of  trouble." 

If  we  will  make  this  prayer  our  own,  it  will 
bring  blessing  and  peace  into  our  heart  thi'ough 
the  most  troubled  week-days.  There  are  six 
petitions  in  the  prayer. 


For  a  Busy  Day. 


I.     TO   HEAR  GOD'S   VOICE   FIRST. 

"  Cause  me  to  bear  th}^  lovingkindness  in  the 
morning;  for  in  thee  do  I  trust."  This  is  a 
prayer  that  the  first  voice  to  break  upon  our  ear 
at  the  opening  of  the  day  shall  be  the  voice  of 
God,  speaking  in  love.  We  ought  to  try  to  see 
Christ's  face  before  we  look  upon  any  human 
face,  when  we  awake  in  the  morning.  Professor 
Drummond  says,  "  Five  minutes  spent  in  the 
companionship  of  Christ,  every  morning, — aye, 
two  minutes,  if  it  be  face  to  face  and  heart  to 
heart, — will  change  your  whole  day,  will  make 
every  thought  and  feeling  different,  will  enable 
you  to  do  things  for  his  sake  that  you  would 
not  have  done  for  your  own  sake,  or  for  any 
one's  sake." 

Perhaps  not  sufficient  use  is  made  of  the 
Bible  in  the  ordinary  devotions  of  Christian 
people.  It  is  not  enough  to  speak  to  God, 
telling  him  of  our  wants,  our  dangers,  our 
sins,  our  troubles,  and  to  plead  with  him  for 
help,  for  favor,  for  comfort.  We  must  also  let 
God  speak  to  us,  and  we  must  be  quiet  that  we 
may  hear  what  he  has  to  say.  We  must  feed 
our   souls  on    the   holy   Word.     No  exercise  of 


For  a  Busy  Day. 

devotion  is  complete  without  the  reading  of 
some  sentence  or  sentences  which  will  start  in 
our  minds  inspiring  thoughts.  If  nothing  more 
is  possible,  we  should  take  at  least  a  verse  for 
the  day.  This  will  prove  a  benediction  through 
all  the  hours.  It  will  start  a  song  in  our  heart, 
in  the  early  morning,  which  will  go  singing  till 
nightfall.  It  will  bring  a  fragment  of  heaven 
down  into  our  common  life,  to  brighten  it,  and 
to  become  impulse,  cheer,  comfort,  encourage- 
ment, and  hope  for  us  when  cares  and  duties 
grow  burdensome.  It  will  give  us  a  definite 
lesson  to  master  for  the  day,  set  a  standard 
before  us  toward  which  to  strive,  speak  to  us 
a  word  of  counsel  to  make  the  way  plainer 
for  our  feet,  and  become .  a  lamp  to  shine  on 
our  path  to  show  us  how  to  walk. 

Then  it  is  sweet  to  look  into  Christ's  face  in 
the  first  waking  moment,  to  thank  him  for  his 
love,  to  receive  his  smile  of  forgiveness  and 
peace  and  his  benediction  for  the  day.  It 
prepares  us  for  duty.  It  gives  us  fresh  courage. 
"  They  that  wait  upon  the  Lord  shall  renew  their 
strength."  After  our  little  time  with  God  in  the 
morning  we  are  ready  for  anj^thing  the  day  may 
bring,  and  need  dread  no  possible  experience. 

10 


For  a  Busy  Day. 

"  One  hour  with  thee,  my  God,  when  daylight  breaks 
Over  a  world  thy  guardian  care  ha-s  kept ; 
When  the  fresh  soul  from  soothing  slumber  wakes 

To  praise  the  love  that  watched  me  while  I  slept ; 
When  with  new  strength  my  blood  is  bounding  free, 
The  first,  best,  sweetest  hour  I'll  give  to  thee. 

"One  hour  with  thee  when  busy  day  begins 
Her  never-ceasing  round  of  bustling  care ; 
When  I  must  meet  with  toil,  and  pain,  and  sins, 
And  through  them  all  thy  holy  cross  must  bear, 
Oh,  then,  to  arm  me  for  the  strife, — to  be 
Faithful  to  death, — I'll  kneel  one  hour  with  thee!" 

It  was  said  that  when  the  rays  of  morning 
broke  over  the  plains  of  ancient  Egypt,  the  harp 
of  Memnon,  held  in  the  hands  of  the  famous 
statue  at  Thebes,  poured  out  soft,  sweet  music 
on  the  air.  The  waves  of  morning  light  made 
the  music,  as  they  swept  gently  over  the  chords 
of  the  harp.  When  the  beams  of  God's  loving- 
kindness  touch  our  hearts  at  the  early  dawn, 
they  should  start  songs  of  gladness,  joy,  and 
peace. 

A  strange  instrument  hung  on  an  old  castle 

wall, — so   the   legend  runs.     No  one  knew  how 

to  use  it.     Its  strings  were  broken  and  covered 

with  the  dust  of  many  years.     Those  who  looked 

11 


For  a  Busy  Day. 

at  the  instrument  wondered  what  it  was  and 
what  purpose  it  had  served.  One  day  a  stranger 
came  to  the  castle  gate  and  entered  the  hall. 
His  ej^e  noted  the  harp  on  the  wall,  and,  taking  it 
down,  he  reverently  brushed  away  the  dust  and 
tenderly  reset  the  broken  strings.  The  chords 
long  silent  woke  beneath  his  skilful  touch,  and 
all  who  heard  the  music  were  thrilled  by  it.  It 
was  the  master,  long  absent,  who  had  come  back 
again  to  his  castle. 

It  is  only  a  legend,  but  it  is  a  legend  with 
a  meaning.  In  every  human  soul  there  hangs 
a  marvellous  harp,  dust-covered,  with  strings 
jangled  and  broken,  until  the  Master  comes 
and  with  his  own  hand  mends  the  broken 
harp  and  strikes  it  with  his  own  fingers. 

"Ah,  could  tbe  tender  Christ  but  brush  away. 
And  o'er  the  slumbering  tones  his  fingers  sweep, 
A  world  would  pause  to  catch  the  echoing  chord 
Of  music  wakened  'neath  the  touch  of  God." 

If  we  would  have  a  day  of  songful  life  we 
must  open  our  heart  every  morning  to  the 
Master,  Christ.  He  will  repair  the  strings  which 
sin  has  broken  and  put  them  in  tune,  and  then 
will  sweep  them  with  his  skilful  fingers.     Then 

12 


For  a  Busy  Day. 

we  can  go  forth  to  experiences  of  peace  and 
blessing.  When  the  song  of  God's  love  is  sing- 
ing in  our  soul  we  are  read}'^  for  the  new  day. 

11.     TO   KNOW   THE   WAY. 

The  second  petition  of  this  morning  prayer  is, 
"  Cause  me  to  know  the  way  wherein  I  should 
walk."  We  cannot  know  the  way  ourselves. 
The  path  across  one  little  day  seems  very  short, 
but  none  of  us  can  find  it  ourself.  Each  day 
is  a  hidden  world  to  our  eyes,  as  we  enter  it  in 
the  morning.  We  cannot  see  one  step  before  us 
as  we  go  forth.  An  impenetrable  veil  covers  the 
brightest  day  as  with  night's  black  robes.  It 
may  have  joys  and  prosperities  for  us,  or  it 
may  bring  to  us  sorrows  and  adversities.  Our 
path  may  lead  us  into  a  garden,  or  the  garden 
may  be  a  Gethsemane.  We  have  our  plans  as 
we  go  out  in  the  morning,  but  we  are  not  sure 
that  they  will  be  realized.  The  day  will  bring 
duties,  responsibilities,  temptations,  perils,  tangles 
which  our  fingers  cannot  unravel,  intricate  or 
obscure  paths  in  which  we  cannot  find  the 
way. 

What  could  be  more  fitting  in  the  morning 
13 


For  a  Busy  Day. 

than  the  prayer,  "  Cause  me  to  know  the  way 
wherein  I  should  walk"  ?  God  knows  all  that 
is  in  the  day  for  us.  His  eye  sees  to  its  close 
and  he  can  be  our  guide.  There  is  no  promise 
given  more  repeatedly  in  the  Bible  than  that  of 
divine  guidance.  We  have  it  in  the  shepherd 
psalm,  "He  leadeth  me  in  the  paths  of  righteous- 
ness." Paths  of  righteousness  are  right  jiaths. 
Of  course,  God  will  never  lead  us  in  any  wrong 
or  sinful  way.  That  is  one  meaning.  All  God's 
paths  are  clean  and  holy.  They  are  the  waj's 
of  the  commandments.  But  there  is  another 
sense  in  which  they  are  right  paths.  They  are 
the  right  ways,  the  best  ways  for  us.  Ofttimes 
they  are  not  the  ways  which  we  would  have 
chosen.  They  do  not  seem  to  be  good  ways. 
•But  nevertheless  they  are  right,  and  lead  to 
blessing  and  honor.  We  are  always  safe,  there- 
fore, in  praying  this  prayer  on  the  morning  of 
any  day :  "  Cause  me  to  know  the  way  wherein 
I  should  walk." 

God  has  many  ways  of  answering  this  prayer. 
When  we  ask  him  to  show  us  the  road,  he 
puts  his  Word  into  our  hands,  and  says,  "  Take, 
read."  The  Bible  is  of  use  to  us  only  when  we 
read  it  and  ponder  its  teachings,  and  then  set 
14 


For  a  Busy  Day. 

ourselves  to  obey  it.  This  suggests  again  the 
importance  of  reading  the  Bible  in  our  morning 
devotions.  Else  how  shall  we  learn  what  God 
would  say  to  us  in  answer  to  our  prayer? 

There  are  other  ways.  Every  good  and  per- 
fect gift  comes  down  from  the  Father.  No 
matter  through  what  source,  or  at  the  lips  of 
what  messenger,  the  counsel  or  the  wisdom 
comes,  it  is  from  God.,  When  you  are  in  some 
perplexity  about  duty,  and  pray  that  God  would 
cause  you  to  know  the  way  in  which  you  should 
walk,  you  may  find  the  answer  in  a  book  whose 
words,  as  you  read  them,  make  the  way  plain 
and  clear  to  you.  Or  you  may  find  it  in  the 
quiet  words  of  a  friend  to  whom  you  turn  with 
your  question.  Happy  are  the  young  people 
who,  in  their  days  of  inexperience,  when  all  life 
is  yet  new,  have  a  wise  older  friend  to  whom 
they  may  go  with  perfect  trust  with  the  ques- 
tions that  must  always  arise.  Far  more  than 
we  realize  does  God  show  us  the  way  through 
human  guides.  Ho  thus  hides  himself  in  the 
love  and  wisdom  of  those  who  are  dear  to  us. 

It  is  from  the  mother  that  the  little  child 
receives  the  answer  to  this  prayer.  "  God  could 
not   be   everywhere    present,   and    therefore    he 

15 


For  a  Busy  Day. 

made  mothers,"  siiid  the  old  rabbis.  Teachers 
come  after  our  mothers  as  the  guides  of  our 
youth.  Then  all  through  the  days  God  reveals 
himself  in  the  lives  of  those  who  touch  us  with 
their  love  and  influence  us  through  their  wisdom 
and  goodness.  In  the  olden  days  angels  came 
to  tell  men  what  God  would  have  them  do.  No 
doubt  they  come  yet,  ministering  unseen  and 
unheard,  whispering  in  our  cars  many  a  sugges- 
tion which  sets  our  feet  in  safe  and  right  paths. 
Yet  there  are  human  angels, — for  angels  are  only 
God's  messengers,  those  whom  he  sends.  Beau- 
tifully does  Mrs.  Sangster  say, — 

"But  in  these  days  I  know  my  angels  well; 

They  hrush  my  garments  on  the  common  way, 
They  take  my  hand  and  very  softly  tell 
Some  bit  of  comfort  in  the  waning  day. 

"And  though  their  angel  names  I  do  not  ken, 
Though  in  their  faces  human  want  I  read, 
They  are  God-given  in  this  world  of  men, 
God-sent  to  bless  it  in  its  hours  of  need." 

Our  wise,  good,  and    true   human  friends  are 

God's  angels  to  us.     They  are  sent  in  answer  to 

our   prayer  that   God  would   cause   us  to  know 

the  way  wherein  we  should   walk.      They  teach 

16 


For  a  Busy  Day. 

iiH  and  give  us  the  wise  counsel  which  directs 
us  in  the  heavenward  path. 

God  answers  our  prayer  also  in  his  provi- 
dences. One  day  after  you  have  prayed  your 
morning  prayer  you  are  sent  in  from  your  busy 
life,  to  lie  down  on  a  sick-bed ;  probably  you 
do  not  think  of  this  as  God's  answer  to  your 
request  to  be  shown  the  way;  but  is  it  not  so? 
Your  path  leads  into  the  shadows,  and  you  must 
suffer  a  while.  No  doubt  this  is  the  right  way. 
You  are  learning  some  lesson  that  you  could 
not  have  learned  out  in  the  crowded  street,  in 
the  open  field,  or  in  the  busy  mart. 

There  are  certain  song-birds  which  are  taught 
new  songs  by  being  shut  up  for  a  time  in  the 
darkness.  Another  bird  with  the  song  that  is 
to  be  learned  is  brought  and  placed  near  the 
little  prisoner,  where  it  sings  its  sweet  notes 
over  and  over.  The  bird  in  the  darkness  listens, 
catches  the  song,  learns  it ;  and  when  it  is  taken 
out  into  the  light,  it  knows  the  new  song  and 
sings  it  everywhere.  So  God  ofttimes  takes  his 
children  into  the  darkness  that  he  may  teach 
them  some  song  they  would  not  learn  in  the 
busy  world.  In  the  shadows  of  the  sick-room 
they  hear  the  sweet  things  they  are  to  learn. 
17 


For  a  Busy  Day. 

Comfort  they  had  never  known  before  breaks 
out  as  in  strains  of  heavenly  music  from  old 
fjimiliar  Bible  texts  which  they  had  conned 
from  childhood.  Friends  come  and  tell  them 
precious  things  about  the  love  and  grace  of  God, 
and  sing  hymns  of  fjiith  and  hope  in  their  quiet 
chamber.  The  Spirit  of  God  whispers  in  their 
ears  the  things  of  Christ.  After  all  this  ex- 
perience, the  curtain  is  drawn  and  these  chil- 
dren of  God  go  out  into  the  world  to  sing  in 
the  light  the  songs  they  have  learned  in  the 
darkness. 

This  from  Jean  Paul  Eichter :  '"Ah !'  said 
the  imprisoned  bird,  '  how  unhappy  were  I  in 
my  eternal  night,  but  for  those  melodious  tones 
which  sometimes  make  their  way  to  me  like 
beams  of  light  from  afai-,  and  cheer  my  gloomy 
day!  But  I  will  myself  repeat  those  heavenly 
melodies  like  an  echo,  until  I  have  stamped 
them  in  my  heart,  and  then  I  shall  be  able  to 
bring  comfort  to  myself  in  my  darkness.'  Thus 
spoke  the  little  warbler,  and  soon  had  learned 
the  sweet  airs  that  were  sung  to  it  with  voice 
and  instrument.  That  done,  the  curtain  was 
raised ;  for  the  darkness  had  been  purposely 
contrived  to  assist  in  its  instruction." 
IS 


For  a  Busy  Day. 

Life  is  full  of  these  strange  answers  to  our 
morning  prayer,  "  Cause  me  to  know  the  way 
wherein  I  should  walk."  Sometimes  a  sore  dis- 
appointment comes,  or  a  keen  sorrow,  or  a  mis- 
fortune, as  we  call  it,  seeing  but  the  earth  1}^ 
side  and  the  beginning  of  the  experience.  Our 
plans  are  rudely  set  aside.  Our  hopes  are  laid 
in  the  dust.  "  Surely  this  is  not  the  way,"  we 
say.  Yet  why  should  we  doubt  that  it  is  so, 
when  wQk  have  asked  our  Father  to  cause  us  to 
know  the  way?  Shall  we  not  rather  sweetly 
accept  the  guidance,  believing  that  the  path  in 
which  we  are  led  is  the  right  one? 

If  Joseph  had  prayed  this  prayer  the  morn- 
ing he  left  home  to  go  on  the  errand  to  his 
brothers,  he  might  have  wondered  on  his  way 
to  Egypt,  as  a  slave,  if  that  were  the  answer. 
But  as  the  years  went  on  he  learned  that  there 
had  been  no  mistake  that  day.  If  he  had 
escaped  from  his  brothers  or  from  the  caravan, 
he  would  have  only  spoiled  one  of  God's 
thoughts  of  love  for  him.  So  it  is  always, 
when  we  put  our  hand  in  God's  and  trust  him. 
He  may  lead  us  through  valleys  of  shadows, 
but  beyond  the  gloom  we  shall  come  to  green 
pastures.     It  is  safe,  as  we  go  out  into  the  un- 

19 


For  a  Busy  Day. 

opened   day,  to  pray,  "  Cause  mo  to  know  the 
way  wherein  I  should  walk." 

' '  I  pray 
But  this :    Let  every  day 
Be  modelled  still 
By  thine  own  hand ;    my  will 
Be  only  thine,  however  deep 
I  have  to  bend,  thy  hand  to  keep. 
Let  me  hot  simply  do,  but  be  content, 
Sure  that  the  little  crosses  each  are  sent, 
And  no  mistake  can  ever  be. 
With  thine  own  hand  to  choose  for  me." 


III.     TO  BE   KEPT  FROM  EVIL. 

The  third  petition  of  this  morning  prayer  is, 
"  Deliver  me,  O  Lord,  from  mine  enemies :  1  flee 
unto  thee  to  hide  me."  The  day  is  full  of 
dangers, — dangers  we  cannot  see,  and  from  which 
we  cannot  protect  ourselves.  Disease  lurks  in 
the  air  we  breathe,  and  hides  in  the  water  we 
drink,  or  in  the  food  we  eat.  Along  the  street 
where  we  walk,  on  the  railway  over  which  we 
ride,  there  are  perils.  Any  moment  we  may  be 
stricken  down.  There  may  be  enemies  who  are 
plotting  against  us,  conspiring  to  do  us  harm. 
30 


For  a  Busy  Day. 

There  cortainl}'  are  spiritual  enemies  who  are 
seeking  to  destroy  us.  The  sunniest  day  is  full 
of  them.  No  African  jungle  is  so  full  of  wild 
beasts,  savage  and  blood-thirsty,  as  are  the  com- 
mon days  in  our  lives  of  spiritual  enemies  and 
perils.  We  are  aware  of  no  danger,  and  hence 
cannot  protect  ourselves. 

What,  then,  can  we  do?  As  we  go  out  in  the 
morning  we  can  offer  this  prayer :  "  Deliver  me, 
O  Lord,  from  mine  enemies :  I  flee  unto  thee  to 
hide  me."  We  can  thus  put  our  frail,  imperilled 
lives  into  the  hands  of  the  mighty  God. 

We  are  not  promised  that  our  prayers  shall 
take  the  perils  and  temptations  out  of  our  day. 
It  is  not  thus  that  God  usually  helps.  We  are 
bidden  to  cast  our  burden  upon  the  Lord,  but 
we  are  not  told  that  he  will  lift  it  away  from 
us.  The  promise  is  that  we  shall  be  sustained 
and  strengthened  in  bearing  it.  We  need  the 
burden.  It  is  God's  gift  to  us,  and  has  a  bless- 
ing in  it  which  we  cannot  afford  to  miss. 
Prayer  does  not  take  our  trials  away,  but  it 
puts  our  life  into  the  hands  of  God,  so  that  in 
his  keeping  we  shall  be  kept  from  harm  while 
we.  pass  through  the  trials.  It  brings  God's 
love   about   us    as   an   atmosphere,    God's   grace 

21 


For  a  Busy  Day. 

into  our  heart  to  preserve  uh  from  doubt,  from 
fear,  from  falling  into  sin,  and  God's  strength 
into  our  life  that  we  may  be  victorious  over 
our  enemies. 

Not  to  pray  as  we  go  into  the  day's  dangers 
and  trials  is  to  meet  them  without  the  help  of 
Christ,  and  surely  to  suffer  hurt,  possibly  to 
fall.  A  writer  says,  "  A  sorrow  comes  upon 
you.  Omit  prayer,  and  you  fall  out  of  God's 
testing  into  the  devil's  temptation ;  you  get 
angry,  hard  of  heart,  reckless  But  meet  the 
dreadful  hour  with  prayer,  cast  your  care  on 
God,  claim  him  as  j'our  Father,  though  he 
seem  cruel,  and  the  degrading,  paralyzing,  em- 
bittering effects  of  pain  and  sorrow  pass  away ; 
a  stream  of  sanctifying  and  softening  thought 
pours  into  the  soul,  and  that  which  might  have 
wrought  your  fall  but  works  in  you  the  peace- 
able fruits  of  righteousness," 

There  are  some  people  who  omit  private 
prayer  in  the  morning,  praying  only  in  the 
evening.  But  how  can  any  one  safely  go  out 
to  meet  the  perils  and  evils  of  all  kinds  which 
lie  hidden  in  the  sunshine  of  the  fairest,  quietest 
day,  without  having  first  committed  the  keeping 
of  his  life  to  God  ?  A  young  girl  recently  told 
22 


For  a  Busy  Day. 

how  that  one  morning,  being  late  and  hurried, 
she  did  not  offer  her  usual  prayer  before  leaving 
her  room.  After  she  had  gone  to  her  work,  her 
little  brother,  who  slept  in  the  same  room  with 
his  sister,  came  to  his  mother,  evidently  much 
distressed  about  something.  He  told  her  that 
Alice  had  not  said  her  prayer  that  morning 
before  she  went  to  work,  adding,  "  I'm  afraid 
something  will  happen  to  her  to-day."  Then, 
after  a  moment's  thoughtful  pause,  he  said, 
"  I'm  going  to  say  her  prayer  for  her."  And 
the  httle,  loving  intercessor  fell  on  his  knees 
beside  his  mother's  chair  and  made  an  earnest, 
tender  prayer  for  the  sister  who  had  forgotten 
that  morning  to  pray  for  herself  The  child 
felt  that  there  were  dangers  in  the  great  world, 
amid  which  his  sister  would  not  be  safe  that 
day,  unless  the  hand  of  prayer  had  drawn  the 
divine  shelter  down  about  her. 

If  we  understood  what  perils  there  are  for 
us  in  any  common  day,  if  our  eyes  were 
opened  that  we  might  have  a  glimpse  of  the 
enemies  that  wait  for  us  in  cloud  and  sunshine, 
we  would  never  dare  to  go  forth  from  our 
door  any  morning  until  we  had  asked  God  to 
keep  us  from  harm  and  deliver  us  from  evil. 
2^ 


For  a  Busy  Day. 
iv.    to  be  taught  to  do  god's  will. 

The  fourth  petition  of  this  morning  prayer 
is,  "  Teach  me  to  do  thy  will ;  for  thou  art 
my  God :  thy  spii-it  is  good ;  lead  me  in  the 
land  of  uprightness."  A  little  earlier  the  prayer 
was,  "  Cause  me  to  know  the  way  wherein  I 
should  walk."  But  knowing  the  way  is  not 
enough  ;  we  must  also  walk  in  it.  Mary  Lyon 
said  she  feared  nothing  so  much  as  that  she 
should  not  know  all  her  duty,  and  that  she 
should  not  do  it.  When  we  ask  God  in  the 
morning  to  show  us  the  way,  we  must  ask  him 
also  to  teach  us  to  go  in  the  right  path. 
"  Teach  me  to  do  thy  will ;  .  .  .  lead  me  in  the 
land  of  uprightness."  A  great  many  people  know 
their  duty  and  do  not  do  it.  Perhaps  none  of 
us  do  all  the  duty  we  know.  Indeed,  none  of 
us  do  all  that  we  sincerely  intend  to  do.  At 
the  best,  our  performance  falls  below  our  ideal. 

While  the  spirit  is  willing,  the  flesh  is  weak, 
and  therefore  we  blunder  and  come  short  in 
our  holiest  endeavors.  Our  clumsy  hands  mar 
the  lovely  ideals  which  our  souls  vision.  It  is 
not  enough  that  we  be  taught  what  we  ought 
to  do ;    we  need  to  add  the  prayer,  "  Teach  me 

24 


For  a  Busy  Day. 

to  do  thy  will."  Our  hearts  are  not  inclined  to 
do  the  things  that  are  right.  It  is  not  easy  to 
be  good.  The  tide  sets  ever  against  us.  We 
need  to  be  taught  and  trained  and  led  with 
strong  hand  in  the  way  of  God's  command- 
ments. We  do  not  go  far  in  the  path  of  holi- 
ness until  we  find  that  we  must  be  saved  almost 
in  spite  of  ourselves.  St.  Paul's  seventh  of 
Romans'  experience  is  soon  discovered  to  be  a 
very  common  one  in  earnest  Christian  living. 
"  Not  what  I  would,  that  do  I  practise ;  but 
what  I  hate,  that  I  do.  ...  to  will  is  present 
with  me,  but  to  do  that  which  is  good  is  not. 
For  the  good  which  I  would  I  do  not:  but  the 
evil  which  I  would  not,  that  I  practise." 

Yet  we  are  not  to  despair  of  learning  the 
lesson  of  true  and  holy  living  because  we  find 
it  hard,  even  impossible,  to  unhelped  human 
nature.  Nothing  is  impossible  to  the  grace  of 
Grod.  If  the  gospel  of  love  only  caused  us  to 
know  the  way  in  which  we  should  walk,  we 
might  despair,  for  alone  we  never  could  walk 
in  this  way,  however  well  we  might  know  it. 
But  the  gospel  does  more :  it  also  teaches  us 
how  to  walk,  how  to  attain  the  beauty  that 
seems  so  hard  to  attain. 
25 


For  a  Busy  Day. 

The  little  child  has  feet,  but  it  does  not 
know  how  to  use  them.  The  time  comes  when 
it  must  learn  to  walk.  The  mother  begins  to 
teach  it.  The  lesson  must  be  learned  slowly. 
It  is  not  enough  to  tell  the  child  what  it  is 
expected  to  do,  or  to  explain  to  it  the  way 
men  and  women  walk,  or  to  show  it  an  ex- 
ample of  good  walking.  The  little  feet  lack 
both  strength  and  skill  for  the  exercise.  The 
wise  mother  sets  about  teaching  her  child  how 
to  walk.  Sbe  tries  first  to  get  it  to  take  a 
single  step,  and  then  two  steps,  and  patiently 
trains  it  until  by  and  by  the  child  can  walk 
and  run  easily  at  will.  So  must  we  be  taught 
to  walk  in  God's  ways.  We  have  to  learn  in 
short,  easy  lessons,  one  step,  and  then  another, 
and  then  another,  until  at  length  we  can  walk 
and  not  be  weary,  and  run  and  not  faint. 

How  is  this  prayer  answered  ?  In  what  way 
does  God  teach  us  how  to  do  his  will?  First, 
he  sets  the  lessons  for  us  in  the  Scriptures. 
Our  morning  Bible  reading  gives  us  a  copy,  as 
when  a  scholar  is  given  a  clean  white  page 
with  a  beautifully  written  or  engraved  copy 
at  the  top  of  it.  He  is  to  try  to  write  on  the 
lines  of  the  page  like  the  copy.     If  he  is  only 

26 


For  a  Busy  Day. 

a  beginner,  his  writing  falls  far  short  of  the 
beautiful  top  line.  But  if  he  is  diligent  and 
faithful,  the  successive  lines  show  evidence,  at 
least,  of  striving  to  learn.  Our  text  for  the 
day  is  the  copy  set  for  us.  It  is,  for  example, 
"  Bear  ye  one  another's  burdens,  and  so  fulfil 
the  law  of  Christ."  Naturally  we  are  selfish, 
and  think  only  of  ourselves.  We  are  not  dis- 
posed to  give  much  thought  to  others.  We 
are  quite  apt  to  pass  by  on  the  other  side 
when  we  see  one  who  is  in  some  trouble  or 
need.  At  least,  we  are  not  likely  to  stop  to 
help  our  neighbors  carry  their  loads.  But  as  we 
go  out  in  the  morning  with  our  bit  of  Bible 
lesson  in  mind  and  heart,  intent  on  letting  it 
into  our  life,  we  soon  begin  to  find  that  we 
cannot  give  our  undivided  attention  to  our- 
selves. Our  text  stands  by  us  Hke  an  angel 
mentor,  sharply  reminding  us  at  almost  every 
step  that  here  and  here  and  here  are  over- 
burdened ones  whom  we  must  try  to  help  a 
little  with  their  load. 

One  such  new  lesson  set  for  us  every  morn- 
ing will  keep  us  ever  learning  how  to  live,  how 
to  do  God's  will.     We  cannot  learn  our  lessons 
in   any  one   day,  for  they  are    long;   but  if  we 
27 


For  a  Busy  Day. 

are  earnest  and  diligent,  we  shall  always  be  at 
school  and  shall  be  continually  advancing  in 
our  spiritual  education.  Then,  while  we  apply 
ourselves  to  our  lessons  we  have  the  help  of 
the  divine  Spirit.  There  is  a  beautiful  legend  of 
Michael  Angelo  which  illustrates  this.  Once  the 
great  artist  was  overwrought  and  very  weary, 
and  while  his  picture  was  yet  incomplete  he  fell 
asleep.  The  rest  of  the  story  is  told  in  a  little 
poem  : 

"Then  an  angel  came,  and  very  featly 

Seized  the  brush  and  made  the  canvas  living; 
While  a  sort  of  music  sounded  sweetly. 
Deeper  slumber  to  the  artist  giving. 

"There  the  loving  angel  toiled  and  tarried 

Till  the  sunlight  failed  and  day  had  fleeted ; 
Wrought  the  wondrous  work,  a  love-thought  carried 
Into  colors  fit  and  fair-completed." 

It  is  only  a  legend,  but  its  lesson  is  true. 
When  we  strive  to  learn  our  lessons,  doing  our 
best  to  put  upon  the  canvas  of  our  life  the 
beautiful  things  of  God's  thought  and  will,  and 
when  we  grow  weary, — not  of,  but  in,  our  effort, 
— God's  angels  come  and  finish  our  work  while 
we  sleep.     In  faith  and  love  we  may  go  forth, 

28 


For  a  Busy  Day. 

morning   by   morning,   praying,    "  Teach   me   to 
do  thy  will;   for  thou  art  my  God." 


V.     LIFE  FOR   THE  DAY. 

The  fifth  petition  of  this  morning  prayer  is, 
"  Quicken  me,  O  Lord,  for  thy  name's  sake." 
We  have  no  strength  for  the  duties  and  con- 
flicts of  the  day.  Life  is  too  hard  for  us. 
Its  burdens  are  heavier  than  we  can  bear.  Its 
duties  are  too  serious  for  our  unaided  wisdom. 
Its  sorrows  would  break  our  heart  if  no  divine 
help  or  comfort  came.  Our  life  is  too  scant  in 
its  own  fountains ;   we  must  have  God. 

No  one  is  ready  to  go  forth  into  any  common 
day  until  he  has  received  divine  quickening. 
And  this  is  promised  to  every  one  who  will 
seek  it.  It  comes  in  many  ways.  You  are  in 
sorrow,  and,  opening  the  Bible,  you  read  words 
of  comfort.  As  you  read  and  believe,  there 
comes  into  your  soul  a  blessing  of  strength 
and  peace,  and  you  arc  strangely  comforted. 
Or  you  are  entering  into  a  temptation.  You 
have  no  strength  of  your  own  to  meet  it. 
Again  there  comes  a  word  of  Scripture  with 
its  promise  of  help,  and  with  the  word  comes 
29 


For  a  Busy  Day. 

strength  which  nerves  your  heart,  and  you  are 
more  than  conqueror  through  Christ. 

' '  I  asked  for  strength ;    for  with  the  noontide  heat 
I  fainted,  while  the  reapers,  singing  sweet, 
"Went  forward  with  ripe  sheaves  I  could  not  bear. 
Then  came  the  Master,  with  his  blood-stained  feet. 
And  lifted  me  with  sympathetic  care. 
Then  on  his  arm  I  leaned  till  all  was  done. 
And  I  stood  with  the  rest,  at  set  of  sun. 
My  task  complete." 


VI.     DELIVERANCE   FROM   TROUBLE. 

The  last  petition  of  this  wonderful  morning 
prayer  is,  "  In  thy  righteousness  bring  my  soul 
out  of  trouble."  We  can  never  plan  our  life 
so  as  to  miss  sorrow.  Indeed,  the  ministi-y  of 
pain  is  indispensable  in  human  life.  "  Gardeners, 
sometimes,  when  they  would  bring  a  rose  to 
richer  blooming,  deprive  it  for  a  season  of  light 
and  moisture.  Silent  and  dark  it  stands,  dropping 
one  fading  leaf  after  another,  and  seeming  to  go 
patiently  down  to  death.  But  when  every  leaf 
is  dropped  and  the  plant  stands  stripped  to  the 
uttermost,  a  new  life  is  seen  then  working  in 
the   buds,   from  which    shall    spring    a   tenderer 

30 


For  a  Busy  Day. 

foliage  and  a  brighter  wealth  of  flowers.  So, 
often,  in  celestial  gardening,  every  leaf  of  earthly 
joy  must  drop  before  a  new  and  divine  bloom 
visits  the  soul." 

Thus  it  is  that  sorrow  itself  works  blessing 
and  good  in  the  believer  when  he  is  truly  in 
communion  with  Christ.  Deliverance  from  the 
trouble  is  not  always  granted :  ofttimes  this 
would  not  be  a  kindness ;  it  would  be  the  taking 
away  of  a  rich  blessing.  We  are  not  delivered 
from  it,  but  in  it  we  are  kept  from  all  harm, 
and  receive  good  instead. 

"  All  those  who  journey,  soon  or  late, 
Must  pass  within  the  garden's  gate; 
Must  kneel  alone  in  darkness  there 
And  battle  with  some  fierce  despair. 
God  pity  those  who  cannot  say, 
'Not  mine,  but  thine;'    who  only  pray, 
'Let  this  cup  pass,'  and  cannot  see 
The  purpose  in  Gethsemane." 

Such  is  this  old-time  morning  prayer  for  a 
busy  or  troubled  week-day.  It  is  as  appropriate 
for  us  as  it  was  for  those  who  centuries  ago 
breathed  out  its  words  and  found  their  day 
made  safe  and  bright  by  the  protection,  the 
grace,  and  the  love  of  Christ. 
31 


For  a  Busy  Day. 

The  daily  morning  prayer  used  by  Dr.  Arnold, 
of  Rugbj',  is  one  which  all  busy  people  might 
well  make  their  own :  "  O  Lord,  I  have  a  busy 
world  around  me ;  eye,  ear,  and  thought  will  be 
needed  for  all  my  work  to  be  done  in  this  busy 
world.  Now,  ere  I  enter  on  it,  I  would  commit 
eye  and  ear  and  thought  to  thee.  Do  thou  bless 
them,  and  keep  their  work  thine,  that  as  through 
thy  natural  laws  my  heart  beats,  and  my  blood 
flows,  without  any  thought  of  mine,  so  my 
spiritual  life  may  hold  on  its  course  at  these 
times  when  my  mind  cannot  consciously  turn 
to  thee  to  commit  each  particular  thought  to 
thy  service.  Hear  my  prayer  for  my  dear  Re- 
deemer's sake.     Amen." 


32 


